


Sword Art Online: School of the Witcher

by DarthPel



Category: Sword Art Online (Anime & Manga), Wiedźmin | The Witcher (Video Game)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2020-11-08
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:28:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 18,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27447145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarthPel/pseuds/DarthPel
Summary: Stuck in a much Darker SAO, Kazuto 'Kirito' Kirigaya, a Witcher, must navigate through SAO to beat one hundred floors, one monster to the next."Don't forget to toss a coin to your Witcher."
Relationships: Argo/Kirigaya Kazuto | Kirito, Kirigaya Kazuto | Kirito/Yuuki Asuna | Asuna
Comments: 6
Kudos: 13





	1. Falling Swords

**Hello everyone, no I'm not dead. Just working on a secret project.**

**Which isn't related to this at all.**

**Now, for this. I noticed the lack of SAO crossovers with The Witcher… which is sad cause I personally think the world of the Witcher and SAO could be ready compatible together. So here we go.**

**I do not own either franchise, Credits due to their respective owners.**

**Join the Discord: DZA47xv**

* * *

"Listen, Klein, there's a limited time quest. If you can finish it, it'll give us a very important bonus that we'll need to survive this game, and I doubt Kayaba will happily let everyone take it." Kirito implored. Just a few moments earlier, Akihiko Kayaba, the creator of this game, Sword Art Online, announced that everyone who logged on would now be trapped forever, until the game was cleared. And more importantly, if you died in the Game, you died in real life.

Klein shook his head and said "I appreciate the help, but I got my friends back in the city. I can't just leave them behind. You go on, I'll be fine, with the skills you taught me, plus, I was a guild leader in our last MMO."

Kirito gave him a solemn nod, however, before he departed, Klein sent him a friend request, stating, "Don't hesitate to message me if needed."

The dark haired teen, simply nodded and turned around, only turning back to say "Good luck Klein," before departing.

Running as fast as his legs would allow, desperation fueling his sprint hoping he would make it to the fabled fortress 'Kaer Morhen.'

It took him a few days of running, but amongst the mountains, he found the fortress, which looked aged and decaying. Moss hanging across the walls, cave-ins in various outer towers and breaches in the walls. All in all, it looked well past its prime.

And outside of the walls, an old man with amber eyes and green armor spun his sword the likes of which Kirito had never seen. According to the leaks from the beta, this man was supposed to be the quest giver. And you had to save him… from a monster.

Yet there were no monsters in sight, and that gave Kirito a foreboding feeling.

Approaching him, Kirito greeted him, "Hello?"

* * *

"So you wish to become a Witcher?" Vesemir asked, measuring Kirito up and down, circling around the 14-year-old.

"Yes" the boy answered with determination.

The old Witcher stood silent for a few moments, before letting out a breath, "The path of a Witcher is not easy or as romanticized as the stories make it out to be. You will be scorned by the citizens of Aincrad, you'll live on the path, from one monster contract to the next, from city sewers to fields of dead men. If you truly wish to become a Witcher, come, follow me."

The two walked along the path of the castle, passing a number of gates as they did. Kirito noted the number of people already there, some testing their sword skills against other players, some just sitting around looking at their menu. There must have been hundreds.

As the last gate closed from behind, Vesemir spoke loud and clear so that everyone would hear him, as more NPCs came out of the keep. "Everyone, let the Witcher trials begin!"

* * *

Ten people along himself, sat around a large dinner table, as they looked at the old Witcher who was passing down plates filled with many kinds of mushrooms, some of which Kirito was sure were poisonous.

Setting down the last plate in front of young Kirito, the old man stated, "The first step to become a Witcher, is to be able to eat things many humans would not. This is because we rely on many potions and oils to aid us in combat, the last thing we need, is to not be able to consume our own potions do we?"

Various murmurs filled the table as Kirito himself picked up a herb, and as Vesemir clapped, everyone began to eat their fill.

At first nothing happened, a few were almost immediately done with their plate, others, such as Kirito, were taking their time.

Soon, when Kirito had eaten about one third of his plates worth, one of the players started vomiting. Something that shouldn't have been physically possible in the game. Kirito hurried to finish his plate as one of the NPCs dragged the player out of the table. As soon as his plate was finished, another impossibility happened that made Kirito question himself, pain racked to his stomach and body, before he knew it, the pain had claimed his consciousness.

* * *

"Congratulations young pup!" Vesemir congratulated him as Kirito looked at the medallion that now hung around his neck, it had the appearance of a Wolf ready to take a bit out of it's poor prey. Odd that it auto-equipped on him the moment he passed the last trial, along a few other windows, that let him know he had received a new set of gear which he would look at later. As well as a new achievement.

'The School of the Wolf'

"You are now a Witcher," the NPC continued,

"Now, don't get cocky, and be careful of every monster that lurks around, and you just might live as long as me."

The quest, or trial rather to become a Witcher was long and arduous, many had failed the first part, and many more failed the second stage.

Kirito himself had expected to fail after what happened with the mushrooms, yet barely conscious and delirious, he made it through the trial of grasses without trouble. And as soon as he was able to, for his last trial, he had to kill a Royal Griffin.

'A royal pain in the arse, more like it.' the teen thought to himself.

He equipped the Wolven gear, and looked at his stats page. He felt stronger, and the changes to his stats had only confirmed what he suspected. Closing the window, Kirito got up from his bed and made his way downstairs.

Into the living space he shared with 18 others, nine or ten on a regular basis. String his silver sword on the table, before banishing it to his inventory, he asked "What's the news?"

Epiel looked down and clenched his fist, "Two Witchers were killed this morning."

"W-what?" Kirito asked, shock riding his features.

A punch startled the trio sitting at the table, as another recently minted Mutant named Mito exclaimed, "A few whoresons… they ambushed Kieta and Metz!"

"Word from Argo, is that news got out of our boost to the regular players, the non-beta testers. And their demanding answers, some of the more... fanatics, have even PK'ed some of our own through mobs or even personally. It doesn't help that the many who failed are telling tall tales of torture an inhuman mutations, Makin us out to be freaks," The fourth Witcher and oldest, Chris, explained as Kirito sat next to him.

"How many failed?" The young swordsman asked out of curiosity, he could guess why the players that couldn't make it to the event were jealous. It was limited time even back in the beta if he remembered correctly. But surely, there would be enough within their tanks they could protect each other.

"Of the 300 beta testers that came to Kaer Morhen, only 18 passed the trials, and now, 2 are dead." The eldest answered.

"Damnit!" Mito yelled in frustration. "We came to Kaer Morhen in hopes this damn event would give us the strength to beat Kayaba's trap. But everyone is against us. Now they're even killing us?"

"Let's hope they aren't brave or foolish enough to Attack our fortress here." Chris said sagely.

Kyoto snorts, "They would be seriously suicidal for that. We are all at least six to seven levels ahead of everyone else. And if nothing else, we'd kill them all!"

"Kyoto!" Chris yelled out. "Don't you say something like that. The last thing we need is to give into Kayaba's game."

"It's the truth you damn Coward! If they come here, with the intent to kill me, I'll kill as many as I can!" Mito reaffirmed. Turning to his fellow Witchers, and asking "Are you going to let yourselves be killed. Epiel, Kirito?"

"Hey, Kirito is just a kid. I don't know why the system picked him to be one of us, but we shouldn't contemplate him becoming a murderer before the peepsqueak turns 14." Epiel interjected Mito, taking a drink from his tankard, the 18 year old just shook his head, "If anything. We get attacked, Kirito, you run like hell out of here. Got that wolf?"

Nodding, Kirito answered, "I guess, cat."

"Bad news, Anna and Moon are dead." A fifth person, a Woman named Alberona spoke up, "Call me paranoid, but I have the sinking feeling that we are gonna be attacked here soon enough. The best we can do is avoid a confrontation, and for the love of good, Kyoto, Mito, you two idiots don't go around looking for a confrontation."

"How long?" Kirito asked, hoping to get an answer to placate his fears.

"I don't know. Some parties of players have already been spotted within the pass leading to this castle." Alberona answered.

"Damnit." Epiel said. "We need a plan of attack."

"No, we fortify ourselves here, we prepare. But don't go out looking for a fight. That's the worst thing that we can do. We hurt or piss someone off and we might actively be hunted for real. I don't know about you. But I'd quite like to make it back to the real world" Chris intervened.

"Why?" Kirito asked silently.

Everyone turned to look at him, even Vesemir, the strangely human NPC.

"Why what?" Chris asked.

Sighing, Kirito expanded his question, "Why must we be sitting ducks?"

Epiel took a deep breath and said, "When we came here. We all made a choice, we had the choice to stay behind, and stay with the regular players. Yet we came here to get ahead. I guess, we abandoned everyone else."

* * *

Kayaba's investors originally got cold feet, thinking he wouldn't be able to pull off the miracle it took, in creating the nerve gear. So the Japanese inventor took to the international market looking for people to fund his project. A Game company took up that endeavour, a company called CD projekt Red decided to take on the gamble, and a decade later, Sword Art Online, was released, the first Full dive VRMMO.

And of course, because of who invested their money into such a risky endeavour, SAO had implemented many themes from the company's best selling franchise, The Witcher.

A special quest called "The School of the Witcher" had been added into the beta as a limited time event.

Apparently the same held true here, and thus, only a limited number of people in this death game, were able to sow the incredible buff the Witcher Skill included.

Of course, many from the beta knew the value of the skill, it had even been leaked to the internet. And such powerful ability was sure to garner animosity.

But none of those who successfully made it through the Witcher trials had figured it would be within such a short time frame that it would come to violence, it was unbelievable.

Yet it spoke to the true horror of SAO. Once good people, turned into monsters to date their need of an outlet for their hatred.

And by the third week after the launch, sixty players gathered around the fortress called Kaer Morhen.

"All the ayers that would call themselves 'Witchers' come out of your little castle, and give us everything you got. Your equipment, your coal, everything!" A gravely foolish man demanded. The crowd around him egging him on, seeing no response. He spoke up again, "If you don't come out. We will go in, and if we go in, we'll take whatever we want, by force if we have to."

A bluff, and he knew it.

Nine Witchers stood left the safety of their keep and castle walls and stood out to confront him. The lead of the Witchers spoke up "Look! We want no trouble. But we aren't gonna allow ourselves to be pushed around, just go home. There's nothing to be had here"

Besides Kirito, Vesemir, who the 14 year old was starting to suspect was an abnormal npc, said "Look at all these youngsters. Nothing but bloodshed will come out if they persist."

"You think so, master?" Kirito asked.

"I know so, pup." The NPC said. As he turned to look at the confrontation ahead.

Swords had been drawn.

The leader of the confrontation looked at Chris "Don't make me hurt you fool!"

"We both know you won't." Chris said, closing his eyes to take a deep breath. A mistake.

The leader of the mob, freaking out internally and not wanting to look weak, stabbed Chris at the base of his throat

The thirty year old looked surprised at both his attacker and his HP gage, before he shattered into polygons.

"CHRIS!" The twins Mito and Kyoto yelled. Forgetting any method of human decency, and charging straight at their comrades murderer.

The battle of Kaer Morhen had begun.

"Arg!" Kirito yelled as he deflected the blade of his attacker with his own. Spinning around to build momentum, before his blade met the simulated flesh of his enemy's neck, cutting his head off.

The boy didn't stop there, as he witnessed one of his few friends struck down, but not before killing his own combatant.

As soon. As Kyoto and Mito struck down the captain of the mob, their sword skill cooldown had fatally hampered them, meeting their swift end at the blades of an angry and scared horde. Who hoped their superior numbers would be enough to eliminate that which they feared the most at this moment.

Kirito himself barely managed to avoid an otherwise lethal attack aimed at his chest, though the blade managed to nick his arms.

Something popped up next to his HP gauge, seeing the poison effect, the 14-year-old cursed "Damn."

"Bwahaha! What fun." His opponent spoke up. "Fear not little Witcher, soon you'll be seeing mommy and daddy!"

"You're insane!" Kirito yelled.

The insane man laughed, stating "Oh little Witcher' scared!" Before stabbing Kirito one more, this time, the boy was too sluggish to stop and pierced his stomach.

Kirito fell backwards as he looked at his wound and the HP gauge. It had slipped into the yellow, and slowly falling deeper, closer to zero.

Seeing it hopeless, Kirito cursed his look as his opponent loomed large above him "Damn! Damn! Damn!"

Suddenly, a blade spring from the attacker's chest. Revealing Epiel behind him, who was looking at the boy's condition, and tossed him a potion and said "This should help with the poison effect."

Using the antidote potion as well as a healing crystal, Kirito stood back up, and took a second to appreciate the conditions of the battle. Sixty had come in hopes of bullying 9 around.

Of the sixty, the only ones who remained were running away. Knowing, they were outmatched by the buffs the Witchers had received.

And once the last attacker was out of sight, Kirito finally allowed himself to relax, though, that relaxation didn't last long. As the reality of what he had done finally settled on him.

Epiel, going an impressive six feet, preferring the Kaer Morhen armor, with dark blue hair and equally blue eyes shaped like a vipers, and with a faint glow said, "Are you okay Kirito?"

The teen fell backwards. Bringing his hands to his face as he began to tremble, somehow, he paled even more than his white skin and game mechanics allowed. His Witcher eyes began to spill tears and hands shook.

He had killed.

His body began to rack with sons, as guilt settled in. He felt a hand rest on his shoulders as Epiel said "It's okay Kirito. It's okay. "

"W-Why?" Kirito wailed, "Why couldn't they leave us alone."

"I… can't answer that. Jealousy, Fear, Anger… I can't tell you. But we were left with no choice. But I'm proud of you, you fought like a Wolf."

_Flashback end_

Kirito took in the silence of the night as he let his breath even out. It had almost been little over a month since Kaer Morhen was attacked.

Reflecting back on the month since, nothing had improved. Tales of the massacre that the witchers had "befelled on unsuspecting nearby players" had spread like wildfire, and though they were generally left alone, even the most skeptical of players had chosen to keep their distance, afterall, there was evidence of a massacre.

Looking at his level, Kirito looked at the number 17. He was now far higher level than he knew most players would be, bar other Witchers, he hoped the 4 that had survived outside of their home base were still out there. Even if they were only associates, the fresh memory of his comrades death, and his own actions. Afterall, the only human witchers to survive had been him and Epiel. Vesemir too if you counted him, but Kirito suspected he was more AI than just a pre-programmed.

Letting out a sigh He heard Epiel speak up, "Do you have a family? Outside of this damned game I mean."

"Gamers usually don't talk about personal patters inside games." Kirito answered.

"I'm an orphan. My parents were killed back when I was just a wee lad." The older man proceeded anyways. "During that time, I discovered the wonderful world of the Witcher. I owned every book and Game. I wanted to be Geralt of Rivia so bad. Now, in this twisted reality of ours? This lifestyle isn't worth it."

The raven haired boy listened carefully, only choosing to ask "You consider this a reality?"

"Why not?" Epiel answered. "We see it, we touch it. We taste it, dream it. Even if it's just a game, this VR technology Kayaba made… it's our real life now, until we beat this game. It's all we'll know."

"I do have parents, and even my sister. Though, I'm sure she hates me," Kirito finally confessed about his real world woes, "When we were younger, we took kendo together under our grandfather… but I started hating it, and I quit. My grandfather beat me nearly to death, and Suguha… she stepped up, promising to train for both of us."

"Hate you? My boy, how clueless can you be? That's a love only a sister could give ye." The blue haired man said mirthfully. "I only had an adoptive sister, but she's my sister nevertheless. Lord only knows how much I would give to see her one last time. Before this game consumes me."

"The sun is coming up. We should start packing up." Kirito stated as he got up.

They had Cor to make, after all… money wouldn't fall from trees.

* * *

**Witcher Skill: A special buff that alters player stats permanently.**

**Gains:**

**21.3% boost to Agility, Strength, Speed, and Vitality each level up**

**30% extra XP gain from monster and none human kills, 25% Cor 10% more loot drop**

**15% XP gain on the mixing skill**

**20% weapon XP gain for swords skills (Both 1 and 2 handed swords, including daggers) 15% experience gain for Hiding, Tracking, Search, and Awareness.**

**Special event quest: School of the Witcher**

**A gruelling 3 phase quest, only 1 in 10 players will successfully pass, sometimes less.**

**completely randomized selection of who passes.**

**completion rewards.**

**500 Cor 5000 XP**

**Achievement: School of the Wolf**

**Reward(s):**

**Unique Skill 'The Witcher'**

**Swords:**

**Wolven Steel Sword (basic)**

**Wolven Silver sword (basic)**

**Armor piece:**

**Wolven Armor (basic)**

**Wolven Trousers (basic)**

**Wolven Boots (basic)**

**Wolven Gauntlets (basic)**


	2. Of Surprise and Bruxa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kirito meets a strange, and suicidal Chestnut haired girl. To get out of her insistent claims that she owes him a payment, he claims that law of surprise in order to get away, unaware of the unforseen consequences.

**Hello everyone, no I'm not dead. Just working on a secret project.**

**Which isn't related to this at all.**

**Now, for this. I noticed the lack of SAO crossovers with The Witcher… which is sad cause I personally think the world of the Witcher and SAO could be ready compatible together. So here we go.**

**I do not own either franchise, Credits due to their respective owners.**

**Join the Discord: DZA47xv**

* * *

**Three months after Kaer Morhen**

Asuna didn't know how long she had been at it, but she knew it had been hours. She hungered, thirst, her hands shook. She could barely hold her rapier as she struck down another boar.

She had been in this game for nearly three months, three months of mindlessly fighting mobs hoping she would die. Progress was slow, and the rumors she heard did little to stoke any hope she had. Afterall, many players had abandoned people like her at the town of beginnings, and if rumors ran true, a group of people called "Witcher's" massacred a good number of innocent people.

It was hopeless, she thought, in her mind, Kayaba had won already. Her XP began to dip dangerously close, she dimly noticed the boar charging at her.

She closed her eyes expecting death as the will to fight fled her.

"Hold on" a voice shouted, the sounds of something shattering. As she felt herself fall, a pair of arms caught her.

She opened her eyes, only to be blinded by the sun, forcing them closed once more. As the stranger healed she protested his actions, rather weakly due to thirst and starvation. "No! Please… just let me die."

"I can't do that In good conscience." The male voice, which Asuna noted to be quite young rebuffed. "If you die now, you'll only be allowing Kayaba to win."

As her HP restored itself, she opened her eyes to risk another glance as she sat up. In protest to his statement. she answered "At least I'll die fighting!"

The handsome young man, who she guessed to be around her age answered, "For what? You'll die in these fields alone, having accomplished nothing. These mobs will continue to respawn no matter what, a fool's death. And then what?"

As she looked at him in silence, she took in his appearance, he wore a black, light vest over a black shirt, the trousers were equally color, but she noticed the presence of leather knee braces on both sides along a brown pair of gloves and silverish grey boots with leather straps on em, and the expected sword on his back.

His most striking features however, were his yellow amber-catlike eyes, which had a bit of a glow to them, and his rounded face, which she could tell still retained most of its baby fat. Once again reaffirming him to be quite the young player. And his black hair, and most of all, the wolf shaped medallion that hung around his neck, an item which to her mind was a cool personal touch.

"Are you done ogling now?" His voice snapped her from her thoughts as she looked away, a dusty blush telling the stranger of her embarrassment at being caught.

He quickly finished whatever he was doing with his menu, and a bundle, along a bottle appeared.

Setting it down at her side, he said "it ain't much, my cooking skill isn't very high. But it'll sate your hunger."

She quickly opened it to find a piece of meat, and some bread.

Asuna wolfed down the food before letting out a sigh as she drank the water.

Seeing her satisfied, but still silent, the teen addressed her once more, "Good, now that you've fed up, go back to town. Maybe join the number of players trying to clear this game. It beats dying here in a field to a weak mob."

"What's the point? Everyone is busy fighting each other." Asuna snaps back.

Shaking his head, the boy answered her, "Maybe, they need a capable leader, you are plenty strong to have been out here, for I guess almost six hours? Without break? Maybe you are the clue we need to finally get everyone moving."

She looked at him oddly, "You really think so?"

He simply answered "I know so."

And stood up from his crouch, and began to walk away.

Asuna quickly reacted, pulling on his hand, and yelled "Wait! I still owe you for saving my life."

The boy shook his head and said "You don't owe me anything Miss. Saving your life was enough."

"Oh don't be so noble." Asuna snorts. "Whatever you want. Just name it."

The still quite strange boy thinks for a second, speaking his thoughts aloud "What would Epiel say?"

A moment of silence followed that, before he shrugs and states "Anything? I claim Law of surprise."

**P.O.V switch Kirito.**

"Law of Surprise"

Kirito had only saved her because he didn't wish to witness more death as long as he could have done something. He didn't know the chestnut girl, but he hoped his words encouraged her enough to at least delay another attempt, hoping she would live long enough not to die on his sight.

He truly did not wish the burden on anyone, of losing loved ones. Even though his associates in Kaer Morhen were just that at first, their death weighs heavy on him.

Therefore he wasn't about to profit off saving the chestnut girl, so he did what his old pal Epiel had suggested for dealing with situations like this back at Kaer Morhen.

Claim the law of surprise.

And it worked like a charm

Seeing the confused look on her face, Kirito smirked slightly, and continued to walk away from the puzzled girl once her grip fell away, giving into a thoughtful look. Thankfully, as obvious as it was now, just like him before being trapped in the game, she knew nothing of the Witcher series.

Soon he made his way towards the spot his friend and mentor had asked him to meet him at, a tavern. It was in one of the smallest settlements on floor one, therefore, one of the few places Kirito- and by extension, other Witchers could freely come and go.

Entering the shoddy establishment, he quickly made his way towards Epiel, and sat down.

"Man, thank you for the surprise law tidbit man." Kirito sighs as the NPC waiter brings him a mug.

"Ran into much trouble?" Epiel asked, smearing some butter on his piece of bread.

"Just a suicidal girl. Seeming to want to go out, 'Fighting' gave her some food and water, she quickly insisted on a reward." Kirito explained as he munched on an apple he retrieved from his inventory, "Told her 'Law of surprise.' she let go of my hand and I was able to walk away."

The older man laughed "Man, be careful. You never know what might happen in the future. She might even come to you with a child. Wink Wink."

"It isn't possible to have children in game Cat." The young Witcher reminded.

"I know, I'm just messing with you Kirito. So getting into business, a clearing group found the boss layer for this floor, the meeting is in another settlement near the dungeon, 10 kilometers from here, in two days." The Navy blue haired Witcher informed Kirito.

Giving the man a mod, kirito stood up and asked

"Can we take part in the meeting?"

Epiel nods "Yes, the settlement is just small enough we can get in. There's also a rabid dog contract we can complete on the way."

The duo made it to the settlement, making their way across the small village, Kirito and Epiel felt the NPC's eyes on them. Some even seemed to whisper to each other, spotting an inn, they quickly made their way inside.

"How much for a night?" Kirito asked as they approached the counter.

The NPC took one look at them, and said "Sod off, I don't serve witchers."

"How do you know we are witchers?" Kirito asked, disgruntled, to which the NPC just picked a glass and proceeded to ignore him as the character ignored him.

Looking at his companion who walked inside, the black haired teen shook his head and made his way outside.

"I got the contract from the notice board, the quest seems to start automatically." Epiel said behind him. Taking in a deep breath, the man adds "Well, time to hunt us a rabid pack of dogs."

The two left the safety of the town and into the plains of the first floor of Aincrad. As they approached, the two readied their Steel swords, as the pack of «Rabid Wolves» approached them, each baring their fangs as they surrounded the two players, the first of the mob ran at Kirito, but the teen swung his sword, bisecting the animal right in the snout killing the animal in the first blow. Charging a slash, he charged at two wolves who had come close enough together to be hit by the one skill.

Just as the cool down finished, he kicked another wolf away and stabbed the closer of the wounded wolf, not bothering to watch it shatter to pieces as he dashed towards the other, as his sword took on a red hue and sliced the feral creature.

Finishing off the last of his share of wolves, he turned to Epiel, who was browsing his menu, sheathing his sword, Kirito walked up to his friend and said, "Well, that was easy."

"Therein lies the problem," Epiel replies as he shows the contract to Kirito, stating "This is much too easy to require a Witcher, any common player could have done this. Something isn't right"

A snap of a twig alerts them to their mistake, as standing there, Naked and covered in blood, a Bruxa, with its hair pure black, ashen skin and long nails ready to kill.

The creature charges as Epiel, slashing at him, and knocking the man a few feet away. As it turned its gaze on Kirito, who had drawn his steel sword once more it dashed towards him once more ready for another slash.

Kirito was barely quick enough to dodge the first slash, but was quickly forced to parry an onslaught of multiple feet-long nails. It was only the Witcher buff's that allowed him to be just quick enough to parry, knowing that one wrong move and his head was forfeited, along with his life.

Fetching into his potion pouch, he kicked the Bruxa away, and drank a potion whose liquid was as black as the color of the monster's hair.

The creature screamed, it's sonic attack shattering his vial and disorienting him before it charged at him again he tried to block but he was only partly successful, as the blow still knocked him off his feet.

As the Bruxa was about to strike her final blow on him, a sword cut off her hand, as Epiel said "Sorry for my lateness, had to retrieve my silver sword from my inventory. Now to finish this bitch off."

The boy gave him a nod as Epiel lured the Bruxa away from him, which allowed him a respite, quickly opening up his player menu, he browsed through the settings, and switched out his steel sword for his silver one.

And soon re-entered the fight, just in time to witness his comrade, who with one hand on the hilt and another halfway on the blade itself parried each attack from the Bruxa's quick and brutal slashes effectively.

As quickly as he could, Kirito charged another sword skill of the day and dashed at the lower vampire, stabbing it through the chest.

It didn't kill the monster, but both Kirito and Epiel breathed a sigh of relief and one sixth of its health finally drained away. Between the two, the fight with the Bruxa started picking up, within a 20 second time span they shaved off three fourths of her health.

Seeing the situation as hopeless the Bruxa dashed away from the two Witchers, and turned invisible.

"Great, Kayaba had to give her all the abilities to this cunt did he?" Epiel said quite vulgarity, as the two stood back to back.

"You mean this is normal?" Kirito asked with narrowed eyes as he carefully listened to the running naked feet.

"Yeah, and if you aren't careful…" Epiel didn't finish, or Kirito couldn't hear him as his eyes went wide as the Bruxa perched herself on top of him, and proceeded to take a bite on his neck.

In the split second this action took, the boy fell backwards. Too shocked to realize he had fallen, he didn't come to until the body of the vampire shattered into thousands of shiny polygons.

"Sigh. Kirito, this is the second time I gotta save you in less than a year. Who taught you swordsmanship?" Epiel asked.

"I learned kendo from my grandfather." The teen admitted sheepishly as he sat up, watching his health bar slowly regenerate.

"Kendo." The older man said with tin lips, obvious disapproval at the sport.

After a few moments of silence the man continued "Kendo is all well and good, but most of the sport is a bastardized version of what it once was, the americans attempt at pacifying post war Japan, and ineffective against the many types of monsters you are likely to encounter here"

"Well, we learned the family style." Kirito rebuked.

"And you almost died because of it… twice." Epiel reminded him. Taking a breath, he offered: "I don't have a perfect style I admit, mine is a bastardized mesh of multiple existing ones, but if you can pick it up, you will at least have more in your repertoire."

Offering a hand to the fallen teen Epiel awaited an answer.

Kirito graciously took both the offered hand and lessons, to which the older blue haired man promised "After the floor one boss."

One day later

The two men sat at the very back of an amphi theatre, which kinda reminded them of a roman colosseum. Standing on the stage, a Blue-haired man stood in blue armor.

Clearing his throat, the blue-haired man introduced himself, "Thanks for coming today. My name is Diabel, and my profession in this game is a knight."

As mocking laughter erupted around the self proclaimed Knight, Epiel narrowed his eyes, as Kirito leaned into him and asked "Are you two related."

Epiel shook his head, "Not a chance in hell."

As Diabel proceeded with the meeting, the two Witchers paid close attention, one thing was immediately clear to both of them, "His relying on information gathered in the beta."

Kirito stated unamused.

"There have already been many changes to the game, that information could already be out of date." The blue haired Witcher agreed.

"We must beat the boss, and send a message to everyone still back at the town of beginnings, that beating the boss is possible! That there is hope of beating the game! Hope of being free! All that we need is hope, and the fighting spirit of those willing to fight!" Diabel finished his inspiring speech to some applause.

"Now hold on just a second!"

* * *

**Kazuto Kirigaya**

**Player Name: Kirito**

**Classification: Witcher**

**Level: 25**

**Preferred** **Weapon: Sword (1H)**

**Player Stats:**

**Health: 3045** **HP**

**Stamina** **: 2078**

**Vitality** **245**

**Strength** **233**

**Speed** **300**

**Strength** **245**

**skills** **:**

**sword 153/1000**

**hiding** **47/1000**

**search** **81/1000**

**mixing** **25/1000**

**listening** **50/1000**

**awareness** **98/1000**

**cooking** **20/1000**


	3. Floor one: End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The battle of Floor one swings under way. The youngest Witcher present, Kirito, must now put to the test his skills as a Witcher, and endure that which is ahead.

**Hello everyone, no I'm not dead. Just working on a secret project.**

**Which isn't related to this at all.**

**Now, for this. I noticed the lack of SAO crossovers with The Witcher… which is sad cause I personally think the world of the Witcher and SAO could be ready compatible together. So here we go.**

**I do not own either franchise, Credits due to their respective owners.**

**Join the Discord: DZA47xv**

* * *

" _We must beat the boss, and send a message to everyone still back at the town of beginnings, that beating the boss is possible! That there is hope of beating the game! Hope of being free! All that we need is hope, and the fighting spirit of those willing to fight!" Diabel finished his inspiring speech to some applause._

 _However the applause was interrupted, what a man with cactus shaped-orange hair stood up and yelled, as he descended down the staircase_ ,

"Now hold on just a second!"

As Diabel gave him space to speak, the orange haired man resumed "My name is Kibaou got that! Before we fight this boss I wanna get something off my chest. Some of you need to apologize for all two thousand players who died! Especially those damned Witchers! You know who I'm talking about, they ran off leaving everyone behind. And took a powerbuff for themselves without telling anyone, and then massacred close to 40 innocent players!"

Kirito stood up, despite Epiel's attempt to stop him, and spoke, tone cold and harsh, heard clearly by everyone "None of the casual players who died at Kaer Morhen were innocent. The leader of the little mob was the first to kill one of us. I watched as one by one my comrades were cutdown. 20 Witchers passed the trials, only 6 remain now. And 4 were killed in ambushes set by other players."

The sound of a pin that fell on the ground could be heard by everyone, and the tension was thick enough a chunk of wood could cut it. Nobody said anything as Witcher and Man stared at each other, for one precious moment, Kirito was no man, every bit of the narrative behind his Skill fell on him, he was different, he chose to be different, a freak and a killer, at least, that's what those accusing eyes said.

"With all due respect, Master Witcher, Kibaou..." a Tall, dark skinned man interrupted "According to you,You and the other Witchers were merely defending yourselves, is that right?"

Kirito gave him a nod, as he observed that broad figure like a hawk.

"Name's Agil." The dark man introduced himself as he took center stage, confronting Kibaou, taking an orange book and asking "Have you gotten one of these?"

"Yeah? What about em?" The cactus haired man asked, trying his best to look tough.

"Well, it's a player guide, Beta testers and Witchers alike came together with a plethora of useful information, from the best spots to level and grind, to the best crafting materials, what monsters should be avoided at all cost by us casual players, other beta-testers, and even how to survive encounters with Witcher exclusive monsters should the scenario come to pass." Agil explained, as Kirito, now forgotten sat back down.

Seeing all eyes on him, Agil continued with his statement "Yet, many players still died, and many were not even killed by monsters, but by other players. Which is why I'm willing to believe the Witcher here, we all know the massive crowds that formed around those weird dudes calling for violence against the Witchers, now. Don't confuse what I'm saying, I don't condone either side, but now is not the time to pick a fight with each other. We have to work together, and really, we should be thankful that people with such power exist, they'll make beating this game easier."

Seeing the situation back under control, Diabel thanked Agil and stepped up once again, to begin dishing out orders to party up and assign group numbers.

From the corner of his eyes, Kirito spotted a familiar fresh-chestnut colored hair, the same girl he had saved a few days prior, as she partied up with Diabel.

Knowing she had spotted him because of his speech, he opted to leave the colosseum, letting Epiel listen to the rest of the details. Lest he allowed her to bombard him with questions.

_Later that day._

Standing at the edge of town, Agil spotted the dark swordsman from earlier sitting by himself eating what looked to be cooked liver.

"Hey man." The broad man greeted.

"Agil right?" Kirito asked, remembering his name.

"Yeah, wanted to talk to you and your friend but you disappeared." The dark skinned axeman admitted. Taking a seat next to Kirito, he stated "One of my friends, Chris was his name, was one of the Witchers at Kaer Morhen."

Kirito stopped mid-bite. "Chris, he was the first to pass the trials. Talked about being a better Witcher than someone called Gerald."

"Geralt of Rivia, the protagonist of the Witcher series, the skill is based after," Agil corrected, "At any case, I know that Witchers aren't allowed into most shops, and with the casual players sentiments if Kibaou is anything to go by, but you're always welcomed at my shop."

Kirito gave him a slight smile "Thanks Agil. I'll be sure to stop by."

 **Day of the boss fight**.

_It was a sunny early morning on the first floor of Aincrad, Kazuto 'Kirito' Kirigaya stood crouched along his companion, Epiel, as the two discussed their battle-plans. It was the day of the boss raid, and our witchers had been delegated to a support role._

"So, we've been relegated to the role of keeping the minions off of the main battlegroups." Kirito stated with thin lips, looking at the ground with an unimpressed look.

"Think of it this way, we'll be getting all the XP and the cor from the minions, plus we won't actually risk death if Kayaba did change the boss by being in direct line of fire." Epiel explained as a means to pacify Kirito, taking a grain of sand, "Surviving this death game is more important than walking ignorantly into a trap. We are Witchers, perhaps it's better if you learn how to act like one, we don't walk into a battle ignorantly, we read the bestiary, prepare our potions and oil before a fight, investigate, otherwise we'll just get caught with our pants down like we did for that Bruxa."

The black haired teen rolled his eyes, "Jeez you really fell into the role."

The blue haired Witcher shook his head, "Well, this is still at heart an RPG. Take the fact that we've basically been kidnapped and forced to participate in a death game, forget the fact that if we die in this game, we die in real life, and remember, this was meant to be our escapist fantasy."

"And that's exactly what Kayaba wants." Kirito rebutted.

"No, what Kayaba wants is for us to panic and lose ourselves, so that we never beat this game." Epiel stated with finality. Standing up, he told Kirito, "Review your knowledge of Illfang and his Kobol, take into account any possible change they may have done in him."

They were group F, tasked with keeping the minions away from the groups battling Illfang, groups A through D.

As the various sized parties of players walked in columns through the labyrinth, soldiers off to fight their first battle in the front lines, the odd duo remained as far back from the group as possible. Noting the oppressive atmosphere the two companions looked at each other, as the clearing group came to a halt.

"Now, remember the plan." Diavel said as he stood in front of the group. "Now, commence attack!"

As if released by their master, the clearers rushed into the bossroom, like a stampede of rabid dogs closing on their victim. Once more for the seemingly hundredth time that day the two Witchers looked at each other as they simply walked into the room.

Kirito drew his steel sword and coated the blade in the most basic of Witchers sword oils; Hanged man's venom.

Epiel, the Cat Witcher, preferring the methods of the school of the cat and bear, forwent coating his blade in oils, choosing instead to rely on pure swords kill, and a bit of aid from the thunderbolt potion to make his blows land harder.

The battle went easier than what was expected, Kirito and Epiel coordinated only by months of traveling together, and the rough beginning of sword lessons, switched in and out of the ruin Kobold sentinels with ease. They often paused just long enough to catch a glimpse of the battle and were surprised to see not a single soul had been lost.

"It seems the guide book wasn't all that wrong after all." Kibaou said cockily as he watched Illfang's health bar deplete steadily, Diavel and Asuna, who had just switched out with group B, also paused. The naive chestnut haired girl gave the cactus man a nod of agreement, for a moment as she drank her relief potion, her eyes searched around the room.

Meeting momentarily with a familiar pair of dark yellow cat like eyes, she offered a hesitant smile. To which Kirito replied with a stoic nod, before he spun around, bringing his sword into another Sentinel-Kobolds neck.

"Switch!" Epiel yelled for the first time, as he ducked low. Kirito acted in the instant as his partner jumped back, stabbing the kobold through a weak point in the armor. Meeting the same shattering death as it's many predecessors.

Suddenly, while the duo caught their breath, Kirito heard a voice command: "Everyone, stand back, I'll finish it off."

Both Witchers turned their eyes to Diabel, who charged like a pretty boy towards the enraged boss as expected, it tossed it's weapons in the air. But instead of retrieving the expected talwar, it pulled out…

"Wait! that's not a Talwar! That's a Nodachi!" Kirito yelled, as Illfang charged a sword skill. Diabel realized his mistake a little too late, Epiel dashed trying to intercept the boss.

But he didn't make it in time, instead, everyone was treated to the horrific sight as Diabel was slashed in half, his body ricocheting backwards due to the force of the blow. As he landed, his HP gauge hit zero and his body promptly shattered into polygons.

Illfang didn't stop there though, the monster, faster than he had any right to be soon appeared in front of the chestnut haired girl. Another sword skill charged ready to take down his target.

Asuna stared horrified as she, for the second time in less than a week, saw her life flash before her eyes.

"Die!" Her savior's voice of once before and now twice yelled at Illfang, as Kirito countered, the giant Kobold Lord staggered. The result of a well timed parry.

The room came to a halt in silence, everyone seemed to lose wind.

"Damn, bastard got Diabel." Agil muttered.

"Don't lose your hearts now." Kirito yelled as Illfang prepared another attack. He offered a helping hand to Asuna, who had just moments prior fallen.

As she took it, Kirito forced himself to ignore a feeling that originated from his stomach. Looking at her once more after saving her twice was distraction enough as Illfang charged at him. This time, Agil, unexpectedly parried the red menace as the other players charged once more.

Kirito- who promptly ignored the girl, elected to drink a red restorative potion which helped speed up his health regeneration, healing the damage he took from blocking the blow fated for Asuna.

Seeing his HP back into the "safe" zone he charged just as the other players were knocked back from Illfang's howl; His sword took the shine of blood red as he met the boss halfway and then dashed past him, decimating the last of the monster's HP.

Illfang began to shine as he cracked, and exploded into the familiar shards that marked death in SAO.

Epiel gave him a nod of approval as they put their swords in their respective sheath. While the other players cheered at the victory, Agil came up to the two along with Asuna, "Congratulations, today's victory is on you."

"Everyone shut the fuck up!" Kibaou yelled, as everyone turned to face him.

Seeing he had their attention, he yelled at Kirito "WHY DID YOU LET DIABEL DIE?"

Kirito narrowed his eyes, "What do you mean?"

Epiel interrupted "No one let the knight die. The pretty boy got himself killed."

Kibaou was stunned into silence, as Epiel walked closer, "The fabled gallant knight. That's what you all considered him to be, yet, in reality he was nothing more than another hypocritical beta-tester. He spoke of hope and freedom, yet when the opportunity presented itself, Diabel chose to be a glory hog, knowing the massive XP and cor gain to be had from the last attack bonus. Not to mention the rare item drop, he decided to take it all for himself."

"Shut up!" Kibaou yelled. "You two are nothing but monsters! Murderers! How dare you defile Diabel's name like that!"

"Hm. Humans are all the same." Kirito spoke up, loud enough to be heard by everyone, for the third time that day, the clearing group changed their attention. "You all fight with each other over the pettiest of disagreements. Forgetting the reason you even came together in the first place. Glory hounds, that's all I see here."

Fiddling with his menu, Kirito equipped his newest item, the Cloak of Midnight, on himself. Turning towards the exit of the dungeon, Kirito even went as far as to dissolve the party with his months-long companion.

Turning to give them one last look, Kirito stated, "I'll be on floor two, waiting for the day you damned idiots learn some common decency. Until then stay out of my way."

_Kirito had seen through what was about to happen, the blaming that would be tossed around, and the victimhood that would soon follow. Knowing nothing good would come out of siding with either men, Kibaou or Epiel, choosing neither side, he decided to be neutral on the matter of Diabel's death._

_Knowing it would be choosing between two evils, Kirito- the ever naive and ignorant Witcher, picked his own path that day, following neither._

* * *

**Witcher Skill: A special buff that alters player stats permanently.**

**Gains:**

**21.3% boost to Agility, Strength, Speed, and Vitality each level up**

**30% extra XP gain from monster and none human kills, 25% Cor 10% more loot drop**

**15% XP gain on the mixing skill**

**20% weapon XP gain for swords skills (Both 1 and 2 handed swords, including daggers) 15% experience gain for Hiding, Tracking, Search, and Awareness.**

**Special event quest: School of the Witcher**

**A gruelling 3 phase quest, only 1 in 10 players will successfully pass, sometimes less.**

**completely randomized selection of who passes.**

**completion rewards.**

**500 Cor 5000 XP**

**Achievement: School of the Wolf**

**Reward(s):**

**Unique Skill 'The Witcher'**

**Swords:**

**Wolven Steel Sword (basic)**

**Wolven Silver sword (basic)**

**Armor piece:**

**Wolven Armor (basic)**

**Wolven Trousers (basic)**

**Wolven Boots (basic)**

**Wolven Gauntlets (basic)**


	4. Companions and Argo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Between friends and Argo, Kirito seems to not longer be alone, but after the battle of the first floor boss, his he truly?

**Hello everyone, no I'm not dead. Just working on a secret project.**

**Which isn't related to this at all.**

**Now, for this. I noticed the lack of SAO crossovers with The Witcher… which is sad cause I personally think the world of the Witcher and SAO could be ready compatible together. So here we go.**

**I do not own either franchise, Credits due to their respective owners.**

**Join the Discord: DZA47xv**

* * *

Our story continues with Kazuto Kirigaya, known as 'Kirito' a week after the clearing group cleared floor five and moved onto floor six. Where old friend's and ghosts we're about to meet.

"Sigh. Another day, another monster," Kirito told himself as he ate a spoon-full of the stew he had cooked from the multiple monster meats and edible plants he found. "Definitely not the best I've ever had."

A window popped, a reminder he had set for himself. Soon he would be making a trip down to Kaer Morhen to upgrade his armor, from what he had gathered, the upgrades to the armor itself would get him at least through floor 20, but soon he would have to find a set of diagrams for a more advanced version.

Convenient really, it meant as long as he could keep the same armor for as long as possible. He wouldn't worry about hunting for crafting materials, or paying a blacksmith a chunk of his cor for a new set every few floors.

"Kirito!" A familiar voice called out to him.

"Klein?" The witcher asked, as he wondered what the man was doing all the way out to his camp.

"Hey there buddy! Haven't seen you since floor 2!" The redhead exclaimed, as kirito turned to look at the other people in tow, Klein's guild mates, the Fuurinkazan.

"It's been a while, Klein." Kirito greeted with some difficulty and no small measure of awkwardness.

As the yellow-eyed boy stood up, Klein made eye contact and asked,"Listen, Kirito, I appreciate what you did for us on floor 2, and I hate to ask for favors, but the boss fight is coming. Faster than I thought it would."

"So you need me to come grind with you so we can spawn higher level monsters." The black haired swordsman finished. "I don't know, my armor needs fixing and upgrading."

"Aw come on man…" the redhead pouts, thinking back to the town of beginnings, how he had abandoned Klein there, the black haired swordsman sighs in defeat.

"There's a mob spawn just south of here." Kirito states as he packed up his camp and the group set out to grind for a number of hours.

"Thanks bro."

Kaer Morhen

"Kaer Morhen," Kirito said to himself aloud as he looked at his… empty room. His room, one he once shared with 3 others, "three people who are now dead."

Sighing, the young Witcher asked himself, "What is Kaer Morhen to me?"

"Perhaps I can be of help?" Vesemir interrupted as the oddly interactive and fleshed out NPC walked into the room.

The old man pulled in a chair near to Kirito, who had sat up. "What is it Vesemir?"

"Vesemir now? What happened to master?" The old Witcher asked jokingly, further surprising Kirito, who did not think the program was capable of making a joke.

"I'm sorry, it's just… I've had a lot in mind. I don't think you're going to understand." The younger Witcher answered, avoiding eye contact.

Vesemir's yellow eyes bore into him for a moment before the old man nodded, "I understand perfectly what's going on. The guilt you feel from killing, the guilt you feel for surviving when your friends were all killed one by one, the resentment of being treated differently. I too went through it, it wasn't the first time Kaer Morhen was attacked, hell not even the second. But, we as Witchers, must accept the fact that we are different, push the vanity of our profession aside, and learn to deal with it."

"I guess." Kirito finally answered after a few minutes of silence.

The old man's eyes narrowed, "We are different. There's no denying it, but if we caved to every insult hurled at us, there would be a million dead commoners around. Don't let your feelings get the best of you young man, learn to put them aside, and you may become the best out of all of us."

After giving the teen a nod, Vesemir stood up from his chair, and as he walked out of the room he stated, "The boys and I will be at the pendulum in a few minutes, I hope to see you there as well."

Castle courtyard

"The pendulum, a training device that simulated the harsh unstoppable swing of large monsters wielding weapons. The school of the Wolf used them to train their students how to maneuver and effectively fight giant monsters." Vesemir states as 6 respective players watched as the NPC pushed the device into a swing. The pendulum itself had spikes along the bottom, and to make things more difficult, the only places you could step were evenly spaced-out wooden spikes dug into the ground. Standing at either side of the training device, two platforms of wood were placed, sure to catch anyone unlucky enough to be hit by the moving mass.

"Ah, this is rather familiar." A Witcher, named Anon said aloud with a touch of nostalgia. "If I'm right he should blind-fold himself now."

And indeed he was, as soon, Kirito was a witness as the old man moved with a grace and swiftness amongst the pendulum someone who looked his age shouldn't have had. Complex and elegant swings and steps entranced the small crowd as Vesemir danced around the pendulum as the man finished his performance with a backflip onto the wooden platform.

As the blindfold disappeared, Vesemir opened his eyes to a bit of awe.

"Anyone want a turn?" The old man asked, "You don't have to wear a blindfold."

Epiel, Anon, and Kirito stepped forward. Anon went first, while he wasn't nearly as graceful and elegant as Vesemir, he managed to last a good seven seconds before he mistimed the pendulum, and promptly was tossed off.

"Ouch!" Anon hissed, not truly feeling pain but a reflex nevertheless.

Gulping, Kirito went second, he was hesitant. His feet shook on the spikes, rather than focus on the swinging device he focused on his footing, making sure that he wouldn't fall. He felt how the entire platform moved and vibrated with every swing, each step was carefully placed until…

Thump

"Damn that hurt." The young yellow-eyed teen said as he sat up on the platform. Feeling very real, if subdued pain. "Fuck."

Vesemir gave him an approving look and said "You did well, you didn't try anything you weren't prepared for and that's what matters in the end. Do me a favor, next time be more aware of your surroundings."

Turning to face everyone else, The old amber eyed man instructed, "Anon you're with Epiel, mental you're with Allen, and Kirito you're with… where did… never mind, you're with me today young man."

A window popped up in Kirito's view, a quest alert:

Quest: The Way of Swords.

would you like to accept?

«Yes» «No»

_Later_

"What are you doing here Argo?" Kirito asked sitting up in his bed, his body and mind tired from the spar with Vesemir, the old Witcher had demonstrated his programming was not just adept with a blade, but oddly good at it. But also gave him pointers and help in improving how he himself fought.

After which it was dinner time at the keep, in which Allen had alerted everyone he had invited Argo over to share information about the upcoming boss fight.

Of course 6 Witchers had to fork over three thousand cor for the information they would have otherwise gotten free at the meeting.

following that, the rat had followed him, and that's how Kirito and Argo found themselves in the boy's room.

"What? I haven't seen you in months Ki-boy!" The whiskered teen exclaimed, "Don't ya miss dear Argo?"

"Argo, we just saw each other last Thursday." Kirito answered with a sigh, "why are you here?"

"That's gonna cost ya!" Argo answered his own question with a cheshire grin .

Seeing him give her a dead stare made her lose her grin, knowing that what she wanted would only be given if she took her own steps.

Leaning closer on him, she admitted, "I'm lonely Kirito, you're the only real friend I have in this game. And I know you are lonely as well, I can see it every time I sneak into your camp for a chat."

"How can I help you with that?" The witcher asked her, cat like-amber eyes starring a jade green.

Argo the Rat gave him another grin, not the cheshire one that promised knowledge that he didn't yet contain, instead it was a sly smile, as she crashed her lips into his.

They both expected him to push her away, yet, for some bizarre reason, Kirito, only wrapped his arms around her.

Argo was about to gesture he hand to open her menu but before she got very far into that, the young Witcher had grabbed hold of her hand, and muttered, breaking the kiss, "Not yet, Argo."


	5. Asuna's Feelings, Kirito's pain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Asuna faces her first boss battle without the comforting presence of a certain Witcher who had always been there, even if they never spent more time together than a few word exchange in passing.

**Hello everyone and welcome to a new chapter of The School of the Witcher. I'd just like to remind you all you are always welcomed to the discord.**

**I'd like to give special thanks to TheDeadGirlRisen and Grandmaster Robin for proof reading and suggesting quality changes.**

**Invite code: DZA47xv.**

**I do not own the Witcher series nor Sword Art Online. Credits owed to their respective owners.**

* * *

"Switch," the titan of a man named Heathcliff yelled as he held off the boss's breath attack. 

Asuna jumped to the forefront without hesitation as she delivered a perfectly placed shooting star, causing a small chunk of the bosses HP to drop.

Asuna found herself in a rather weird position. She was partied up with Heathcliff, a rather unknown player, who she had never seen in any of the previous boss fights. 

"Switch!" Asuna yelled, as she saw another chunk of HP from the boss chipped away by the surrounding players. Soon she noticed the signs of another attack incoming from the monolith. 

Heathcliff stood tall against the approaching attack, and even held the aggro of the floor boss after it, allowing players to gang up on it.

Through the fight, she kept looking at the door, asking herself, "Where is he?"

Another health bar gone, and Discuss, the Vacant colossus roared in anger. 4 rock golems appeared from the ground, causing the lone Witcher in this fight, Allen to yell, "BE CAREFUL! THEY MOVE SLOW BUT THEY DO SWEEPING DAMAGE, IF IT LOOKS LIKE THEIR GOING TO JUMP OR PUNCH THE GROUND WITH BOTH HANDS IT’S AN AOE ATTACK!" 

Agil, who was part of the support group, yelled a question back at Allen, "Do they have an attack pattern?!" 

"Yes, they smash the ground every 6 seconds, and they jump every 15," Allen responded as he charged a sword skill, enabling him to land a star splash on a mineral monster. 

"GOT IT!" A strangely feminine voice came from someone dressed head to toe in heavy armor, wearing the colors of the ALS. The mysterious player handled their two-handed weapon like a pro as slashing skills rained upon the golem Allen had just dealt damage to. 

The golem finally died, and the other three were made short work of, leaving the boss room void of any more pesky nuisances.

But for Asuna, this wasn't enough. As she looked towards the door once more, she once more asked herself, "Where are you, idiot?" 

Heathcliff, who stood next to her, asked her a question as he shielded them from an attack, "Problem?" 

  
  


"No!" she yelled, she quickly realized that she had spoken out loud and took a few deep breaths before she answered him, "It's just, I'm used to fighting along-side someone, but they aren't here today."

"This can wait until the boss is dead, until then, focus on the fight at hand." The Paladin built man told her after she finally answered him. Asuna readied her rapier once more, letting the green hue of the linear guide her attack on the floor boss.

"Damn this bastard does damage." Klein muttered, as he barely managed to avoid being killed in one shot by the construct, "Group A I need a switch!" 

Lind, the leader of the Holy Dragon alliance, was about to answer him, however Kibaou beat him to it, "We got you!" 

Green dressed players soon relieved Fuurinkazan while Klein took a healing crystal, and allowed himself to descend upon more golem spawns. He and his guild-mates ganged up on the mob of golems, and made quick work of them.

Suddenly, as the third of the four bars was emptied of hit points, the face of the golemn known as Fuscus the Vacant Colossus, disappeared into nothingness, teleporting back towards the center of the room. Where it was soon joined by a torso, then some arms and legs. 

"Oh we are so fucked," a player whose name escaped Asuna said, letting his spear hit the ground.

The giant raised his foot to squash a cluster of clearers. Without thinking Asuna jumped towards the monster using a sonic leap, sword pointed forward. The stun effect of using a skill gave way quick enough for her to charge another of her famously quick and dangerous Linear right into the bed of the monster's foot.

The giant toppled over, leading to a moment of silence. But soon everyone was on him, hacking and slashing away at the colossus rock made body. Even more so, one brave soul pulled out a rope and tossed it across the belly of the beast.

Unfortunately, it was not to last, as the beast stood up easily breaking through the rope. A laser beam fell on at the base of its feet. Luckily, everyone was well clear of it, so they didn’t get squished underneath it’s feet. The boss stood well over 35 feet tall, towering above them making it hard for them to reach any vital areas. It was a daunting task, facing up against the boss, and she briefly wondered if she might be able to knock it over again, but in the end she doubted that she would be able to.

It took some time, but four hours later, Fuscus the Vacant Colossus fell apart into several large pieces before those pieces shattered into thousands of shiny polygon bits.

Finally, with victory in their hands, and almost two more hours of fighting, the clearing group took a moment to catch their breath. 

There wasn't the normal rambuctious cheer that followed the first few bosses. Instead, what happened, much to Asuna's displeasure, was an argument breaking out.

"Damn you Kibaou! He called for group A not group B!" The leader of the Holy Dragon Alliance called out to his opponent.

"Who said you are group A? Last time I checked it was my guild who first found the dungeon!" The leader of the Aincrad Liberation Force yelled in turn.

"Oh yeah? Well whose party scouted the boss?" 

As the two guild leaders descended further into a screaming match, Asuna, who was resting on her knees sighed, "I can't believe I'm with this bunch of idiots."

"I can't particularly disagree with you lady Asuna," Heathcliff added, his voice took on a defeatist tone, which contrasted greatly with the chestnut haired girl's resignation. 

"Hey! If you think this is so easy why don't you start a guild?" Kibaou shouted in anger, the cactus haired man putting up his best tough-man act at the words of the Paladin.

The white haired man looked around the room, sighing at the disrespectful comments of his fellow clearers, and did something that perhaps infuriated the leader of the ALF even more.

After taking a look around the room, in particular the small brawl that looked about ready to break out between Lind and Kibaou, Heathcliff answered, "You know, mister Kibaou, perhaps I shall follow your kind advice. Lady Asuna, considering you are well known and how highly skilled you are, perhaps you would be willing to be my second in command?" 

Asuna pondered the prospect of the opportunity, as she thought back to a certain point in time.

_"What's the point? Everyone is busy fighting each other," she snapped at the viper-eyed witcher._

_Shaking his head, the boy answered her, "Maybe they need a capable leader? You are plenty strong to have been out here For I guess almost six hours? Without break? Maybe you are the person we need to finally get everyone moving."_

A look of fierce determination took over Asuna's facial features, and she gave Heathcliff a nod, "It'll be my honor."

_______________________________________

There are a few things Kazuto 'Kirito' Kirigaya had never had the chance to enjoy IRL that Sword Art Online had allowed him to enjoy, sex being one of them.

Currently in only basic underwear, Kirito sat on the edge of his bed, feet on the ground as he browsed his item menu, more specifically, looking at his action groups. Currently, he was trying to figure out the quickest way to have access to both silver and steel swords.

"Nh, Kirito?" Argo called out next to him, sitting up as well, using the sheets to cover her modesty, "I have a question?"

"Yes?" The teen looked up at his young lover, letting his eyes roam the uncovered portion of her body.

"I felt… something unexpected during our first romp," The blond haired woman said bluntly, causing the boy to blush slightly of embarrassment.

"Pain?" Kirito questioned, making eye contact with the now flustered Argo. "It seems to be a theme with the area around Kaer Morhen, is that pain can be felt, very thoroughly even. Whenever I'm here, from the moment we had to make The Choice."

The Witcher paused for a moment, picking up Argo's apparent interest in the way she stared at him, he continued, words bitter with the taste of foul memories, "Pain was in every part of our trials, from The Choice, the Trial of Grasses, the Trial of Dreams, and then came time to earn my medallion in a trial known as the Trial of the Mountains, were we went out and hunted down a monster; I got to draw the lucky Royal Griffin. I don't know how many hours I spent fighting it, all I know I could have done it in minutes if not for the pain of every wing and tail strike I wasn't lucky enough to avoid."

The blond haired rat ran her hand through his back, caressing his discomfort away, "You really dislike this don't cha?"

"I don't want to talk about it Argo," Kirito said, pushing her hand away, which by now had come to rest on his shoulder, having been giving a bit of a massage. 

Frowning, Argo sat up fully, forgetting her modesty and making eye contact to emphasize her point she told him,"Some day ya gonna need to open up about this Kiri-boy, else it's gonna burn through to you. And you'll have a breakdown." 

"Thanks Argo, but truly, I don't want to talk about it." Kirito assured her, giving her a chaste kiss to sate her momentarily.

As the two pulled back, a window popped up

**Global message:**

**People of Aincrad, the fifth floor has been cleared.**

"I guess back to the frontlines now, eh?" The amber eyed Witcher asked his bed mate as she wrapped her arms around him, "Not yet Kiri-boy, we still have a day to ourselves." 

_Next day_

After finally getting out of bed, the two players made their way towards the sixth floor of the iron castle. Argo was going to go on personal business, while Kirito went on to catch up on grinding and leveling, perhaps even scout for the next boss fight as well.

Argo stuck to Kirito as they walked across the gate, the blond info broker wrapped around the black haired swordsman. 

As they passed through the Gate, they came into a forest looking area. Quickly, and most unfortunately Kirito spotted the girl from the first boss fight.

Which meant that a moment later, before he had a chance to hide away, she had also spotted him.The girl glared, hands clenched into fists. Reluctantly the duo approached her direction, the girl crossed her arms, fingers tapping ferverently along her arms, as she demanded an answer to her question, "So, are you done having your little… fun? Why weren't you at the boss fight yesterday, we needed you, you know?" 

"Calm down, snarky-chan." Argo stated, eyes rolled in exasperation as she wove her free arm up and down.

"Ah… Argo, this is…?" Kirito looked at the expectant woman's face awkwardly, as the teen scratched the back of his head.

"Asuna," The swordswoman answered with a sigh. "Seriously Kirito we've fought in every boss fight, you've saved my life about three times and you still don't know my name?" 

"I'm sorry, I just never bothered to learn it that's all!" Kirito quickly excused, only for the mood to change drastically. 

"Kirito, you idiot," Asuna muttered quietly as she balled her fists in a threatening manner. Argo, knowing what was about to happen, quickly unwrapped herself from her temporal-lover, and allowed him to bear the full brunt of the incoming assault as the chestnut-haired woman punched the famed Witcher across the face.

"Oh, I knew I liked ya snarky-chan," Argo stated at the sight of the mean right hook the girl delivered. The girl took a step back, eyes widening slightly and biting her lip as she seemed to realize what she had done.

"I'm sorry, I'm just… frustrated…" Asuna tried to apologize, even offering a bow to the downed Kirito.

"It's fine," The boy said as he sat up, rubbing a bit at his jaw, "I deserved it. Besides, sometimes you need to punch something at least once right?" 

The swordswoman shook her head in disagreement, "It was still very rude of me. I'd like to apologise later, but I have places to be at the moment"

Wishing the couple a bit of a farewell, Asuna disappeared through the teleport gate, leaving Kirito with a sly Argo.

"Well, Kiri-boy, you didn't tell me you had an admirer." 


	6. To kill a Huntsman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Welcome back to another chapter of this fantastic Witcher/SAO crossover. 
> 
> First I'd like to give credit to TheDeadGirlRisen, CountedasZero and Grandmaster Robin for helping me with this chapter.
> 
> Discord invite link: https://discord.gg/DZA47xv

  
  


* * *

  
  


"I can't believe I just did that, " Asuna said as she flopped down on the bed of the inn room she had rented. She would be using this room for the remainder of her time on the sixth floor, so she hoped it was more comfortable then the inn on the third floor. That inn left her with a sore back for days afterwards. 

Even as she layed on the bed, her mind was plagued by the memory of her punching Kirito, over the fact that he hadn't remembered her name. Thinking on it now though, she was suspicious of the fact he claimed to not have memorized it, something that seemed extremely out of character for the ever vigilant and careful Witcher.

Still, refusing to take sole blame for her embarrassment, she muttered into the pillow, "It's his fault that he's such an idiot."

Letting out a long sigh, she sat up just as there was a knock at the door. Wondering who would be knocking at the door, she realized that it was probably her current partner, Heathcliff. 

As she guessed, it was his voice that came through the other side of the door, "Lady Asuna, we must head out, we got an appointment to keep in 15 minutes." 

"Give me a minute!" she yelled back at the door. She quickly retrieved a handful of crystals to store into her pouch, just a precaution every player took. After all, if she didn’t have them it was more likely she would end up killed. Their healing abilities were lifesavers. 

Just as she was about to stand, a window popped into her vision. A message, that as she read who the sender was, caused her to tremble. 

_ Yuuki Kouichirou. _

* * *

Argo rolled her eyes as another one of the Pointed Beaks came charging at her, it was so pointless, killing these bird like creatures, but hey at least it was worth some xp. The mob of the sixth floor was a bird-like creature, with two long blue legs and sharp talons, and a predominantly white body, though it had a blue stripe leading from it’s short wings to it’s head. The wings were short with a darker blue/black feather, though there was also a red feather at the tip of it. The head of the Pointed Beak had a long, wickedly sharp beak, blue, except for the top of it which was yellow. The bird had a tri colored plumage reaching up, going from white to blue, to a dark blue black. At least the Pointed Beak she was looking at was mainly white and blue, other versions of the mob had different color variations.

With a thrust of her dagger she stabbed through the neck of another one of the useless vermin. Argo looked over at Kirito, who allowed himself to rest momentarily after killing the last of his mob, and gave him a flirtatious whistle, "Not bad Kiri-boy." 

The amber eyed teen gave her a side glance, only to return to looking at his stats page. Nowhere close to another level up, yet Argo had been making steady progress by killing these mobs.

Looking up at his in-game clock, the Witcher noted, "Hm, it’s going to be midday soon, perhaps a lunch break looks to be in order." 

"Can we eat at an inn?" Argo complained loudly, making him quirk an eyebrow. "Nothing against your cooking skills, boo." 

Kirito crossed his arms, "My food is not that bad." 

"Not bad, just terribly dull and repetitive," the blond haired woman was quick to take a stab at his meager cooking skill, a grand total of 72/1000. Like improving his cooking skill was high on his to do list. As if he hadn't had enough, she continued, "I mean, how many times can you have boar meat and wolf liver before getting tired, or stews? I mean, do you even season it?!"

"Alright fine!” Kirito said, throwing his hands up, “My cooking is horrible! Fine, we can eat at an inn,” he relented in frustration, much to the pleasure of the blond.

"Nya, Kirito, you see? We can be reasonable," Argo stated smugly.

The amber eyed Witcher just grumbled about the smugness of the info broker. She just always had to get her way.

"What was that Kirito?" Argo asked in a dangerous tone, eyes flashing.

Just as he was about to answer, an alert popped up into his vision, another bell alerted him that Argo had received a similar notice.

Opening up his alert menu, Kirito found a message, just as he was about to click on it, his eyes caught onto an interesting bit. 

_ Suguha _

'My sister?' he thought in disbelief, glancing over at Argo, he noticed that she had a small smile on her lips as she seemed to be reading a message. Quickly turning to look back at his, Kirito's eyes hovered over the menu. 'Did my sister really just messaged me? From outside the game? No, it can't be, it has to be a coincidence.'

His mind raced at a thousand miles a second. Was this a prank? He doubted Kayaba had either the inclination nor time to write such an elaborate hoax. 

He read a bit of text that could be seen in the notification window:

_ Hey Kazuto, it's me. Yes, your sister, you are…. _

The message cut off due to the limited space, but it was enough to confirm his fears. He doubted anyone within the game knew his real name, and he doubted even more Suguha would have bought a nerve gear or SAO, after all, she hated gaming, and gamers in general.

Yet, to him, or at least his turbulent mind, this wasn't a game to Kirito anymore. It was his life. Yes, it was a sick and twisted attempt by a psychopath to supplant the real world with his own twisted fantasy. Yet, being here was still better than being out in the real world.

Which brought Kirito to another issue.

'Do they know?' 

Did his family know he had killed people? What would they say? His thoughts quickly plagued with them turning their backs on him. After all, nobody wanted a son who was a murderer.

Perhaps, it had been the length of time he had spent in-game. Approaching a year, and much of that time was either spent at boss fights, by himself, or making trips back to Kaer Morhen. 

Perhaps it was his interactions with most NPCs and players, the wide berth they gave him for being different to them. For having something they didn't want, and when they did address him, always by that infernal title of Witcher.

Perhaps it was a factor of both of these combined. With a healthy amount of his own fears tossed into the mix, and even a bit bit of madness sprinkled in. 

But in the end, it mattered little, for Kirito refused to open the message. Instead he marked it as read and had it deleted from his inbox.

Argo, who had quickly finished her mother's letter, had been idly observing Kirito as he stood frozen, and watched him with worry etched on her face. As he deleted the message, she asked him "Hey, don't you want to know what your family is up to?" 

He shrugged, not wanting to answer.

The amber eyed woman raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms at his silence, “You can tell me, you have to be curious about what’s happening with them, right?”

Kirito crossed his arms, “Let’s just go kill some more monsters.”

“Oh come on, it’s your family, surely you want to read the letter!”

"Sorry Argo, maybe next time," came Kirito's hollow response as he turned around. Ready to face another monster for the moment.

"Hey! Don't go all dark and moody on me." The info broker yelled at him as she caught his right wrist. "Listen Kiri-Baka, if our families can reach out to us now then that's the hope we need to get out of this game, you can't just blow them off like you just did."

Viper eyes focused on a disgruntled Argo, as Kirito's face turned deadly cold, "Perhaps I don't want anything to do with the real world. I have my fair share of problems already, and I have no wish to deal with my family. You and I both know the blood that's on my hands, we both know what got me to that point. And we are both fine with it, we understand, but will they? They aren't in our shoes."

"But they are your family!" Argo shouted in rebuke.

"So?" the Witcher asked, his gaze no longer cold, there was no anger, or exasperation. In fact there was no longer any trace of emotion on his face or in his eyes. Instead, he regarded her with a neutral expression. And perhaps, that was worse than what she had come to expect of him in their short week old relationship.

"Kirito," Argo mumbled softly, "What's happening to you?" 

* * *

"Thank you for coming Mrs. Kirigaya." Yuuki Shouzou greeted with a formal bow as he led the woman, Midori Kirigaya, towards a seat in his office.

She graciously took the offer, her daughter, Suguha Kirigaya took the seat next to her as they anxiously awaited news of their comatose son/sibling.

"You said you had news about Kazuto?" Midori asked nervously, 10,000 players logged into SAO, 10,000 different families, yet she was the one sitting in front of the CEO of the company which had acquired the security license that kept SAO servers afloat.

"Indeed I had said I have new developments. Not only have we pinpointed the identity of your son, we've gotten almost all of his data from the game engine." Shouzou stated neutrally, lifting up a manila folder, he read from it, "Player ID, Kirito. Level---- one of the top 20 level players that's for sure. Impressive stats. Yet I'm afraid it's not all good news." 

"What happened?" Suguha asked a bit louder than she intended, drawing both pairs of eyes to her as the adults regarded her with even more worry. 

  
  


Putting up his glasses, and reading from the folder once more, the aging man said as neutrally as he could, "To put it as simply as we can, hopefully my son will have pieced together exactly what happened soon enough. But Kirito- Kazuto, is directly responsible for the deaths of 6 other players in the world of SAO." 

  
  


The room became deadly still, Kirito's mother's hands flew into her face, covering her mouth as she settled into shock. 

Suguha, Kirito's sister, had wide eyes, as everything she had known about her brother was shattered into millions of pieces in her mind.

The door opened, a young man walked into the room, "Dad, got an update from the… what the hell happened here?" 

"Kouichirou, were you able to piece together the Kirito case?" Shouzou

"Yes, the Europeans shed some light, we managed to determine a battle of some kind between players. There's some kind of buff in-game, we actually know who struck first." The younger Yuuki answered, passing the report over to his father. 

"He seems to have an excellent track record, Kazuto that is." Shouzou stated as he turned to the Kirigaya family, "If you would entertain me for a moment…"

* * *

Kirito leaned back in his chair, his expression blank, giving away nothing as he looked into Asuna's expectant face. 

"Elven ruins." It was more of a statement than a question, the words tinted with his skepticism.

"Are you certain?" His question was met with a scowl, though it seemed to be more one of thought than derision.

"I don't know," She sighed, brushing back a lock of hair behind her ear. "Heathcliff certainly seems to think so."

The young Witcher watched her for a few more moments before sighing and looking towards Argo. Her Jade green eyes flicked towards him for a moment before they returned to her menu, her fingers flying as she looked over her notes and the maps she had gained from her intelligence network. After a few seconds she looked back to him and tilted her head from one side to the other, as if to say it's possible.

Kirito turned his feline eyes back towards Asuna, "Alright, say I believe you. Why do you need a Witcher for some old dungeons?" 

Asuna's shoulders slumped, her arms crossing as she let out another sigh, "There are monsters, as you've no doubt already guessed. Our equipment simply isn't good enough to do any real damage to them. Plus...," Her eyes flicked towards Argo, no doubt she wondered whether letting this information slip to an information baron was worth it before relenting, "There's rumors of a special boss. We just don't have the numbers to take it on by ourselves."

Argo snorted, her eyes narrowed at the revelation. "So you need lover-boy here to be your meat shield. Typical." 

The guild commander frowned at the statement but let it go. "Essentially." Her brown eyes flicking back to Kirito's Yellow ones. 

"However, I can assure you that we can make it worth your while and then some." 

Kirito's slow eyebrow raise and his girlfriend's smirk told Asuna all she needed to know, she had found herself a Witcher.

  
  
  


* * *

The Elven ruins were an underground set of caves, it seemed as if the elves who used to inhabit this place had a fondness for minimalistic structures, choosing to simply add few features to the naturally moist walls of the cave. Things such as stairs, statues and crumbling sections of brick flooring could commonly be found throughout the system. But little else that pointed to a significant society, aside the odd loot drops placed around different corners of the map.

  
  


"Ugh, this place gives me the creeps." Argo stated as she and the rest of the party walked through the ruins.

Joining her, Kirito and Asuna, was Heathcliff, and another curious NPC whose name was Kizmel, a purple haired dark skinned elf. 

The dark elven woman reminded Kirito of Vesemir in that she acted and talked seemingly off script unlike many other NPCs in the game, who all followed pre-scripted patterns.

Curiosity aside, Kirito followed the group falling a step behind as he read the continually updated information.

"This cave is unfamiliar to me," Kizmel spoke up, breaking the silence. 

  
  


"Not surprising, it's a non-organic dungeon." The amber eyed teen responded to her query garnering curious eyes from the other companions.

"If you don't mind, can you explain what you just said in simpler terms for us old folk?" Heathcliff asked in confusion.

  
  


The young witcher paused from his step as he began to explain, "You see, it's something me and… the others have noticed. There's the world of Aincrad, and there's the world of the Witcher. What we Witchers call organic is the base game of Aincrad itself. What we've come to call non-organic… are things or people like us. Anything that is Witcher related." 

  
  


"Oh, you mean what happened after the meeting of spheres." The dark elf commented.

  
  


Nodding at the elf's comment kirito continued, "Yes, problem is… how do I put this? The merging wasn't as smooth as you probably think it was, Witchers, for example, had the ability to use magic. Yet here in Aincrad, the only magic we encounter it's through runes and our potions. And even then, finding the ingredients and alcohols to craft them all are a pain, not so much for blade oils, but witcher potion ingredients. And therein lies the problem. Neither world merged properly, and that's why certain… things stick out like a sore thumb."

  
  


"So, that's why this cave is unfamiliar to people like Kizmel. Because this is basically two games in one?" Asuna asked with a thoughtful look in her face.

The party came to a full stop in front of an arch way, it led to a bit of a cliff drop within the ruins, and below that was an open room decorated in the yellowish bricks and green moses that denoted the elven cave. And in the center of the room, a human sized yet hugely armored thing stood, it's weapon was an oversized club too big to be wielded by human hands. And a helmet shaped a bit like a skull, the figure had an ethereal glow around it, and upon spotting it's next victim, it began pacing side to side.

  
  
  


The ghastly image spoke, "It's been a long time since I've last tasted Witcher blood." 

  
  


Kirito's viper eyes narrowed as he drew his steel sword. Next to him, Asuna asked in a shaky voice "What did he say?"

"I don't know. He spoke in a language I couldn't understand." Argo answered her, which caused concerned looks to be passed around between Kizmel and Heathcliff, who also couldn't understand the armored phantom.

"It said that it has been a long time since he last tasted Witcher blood." Kirito murmured, almost to himself, which caused him to receive wide eyes from his girlfriend. 

"You can understand it?" The info broker asked, lips trembling at the thought of a monster who could kill a Witcher, never mind the fact that Kirito had a track record of losing against the more intelligent and capable ones.

"Well, this is what I was hired for." Kirito states quietly, "Let's get this over with." 

The young Witcher jumped off from the crumbly surface into the moldy brick floor of the Arena. 

Finally facing the boss in full, the name of the monster appeared above his blood red marker 

«Imlerith»

Heathcliff landed next to Kirito with a loud bang, and stood next to the teen. "That's a blunt weapon. Massive, he's bound to be rather slow. Let me take the aggro, you and lady Asuna move in to deal the damage while he's busy with me." 

  
  


Argo scowled at being left out, "what about me?" 

  
  


"Not now Argo, you and Kizmel. You provide support when needed." Kirito ordered As he and the Paladin surrounded the juggernaut, this did not sit well with Argo, who's scowl grew, and crossed her arms in disapproval.

A sphere of disbelief overtook the room as Imlerith swung his club impossibly fast at Kirito, who managed to avoid the swing. Only just barely, rolling away, Kirito slid behind the boss, charging a slash, Kirito cut into the armor of the ironclad titan. 

And that's where Kirito realized his mistake, as the stun effect of a sword skill took effect, Kirito was momentarily paralyzed. Eyes just wide enough to show surprise as the agile bat of the club tossed him towards Argo's direction, who promptly dropped her dagger to attend to him. 

"Are you okay?" The rat asked as her hands held onto a tumbling Kirito. 

"Yeah, I'm fine." He answered standing up. Looking at his HP gage, which promptly began to regenerate slowly. A quarter of his health, gone in that one swing. 

A loud clang startled the dou as they looked up to see Heathcliff stand in the way of the mighty juggernaut. 

"How are you?" The paladin asked the Witcher who stood up and wiped away the simulated dust.

"I'm fine, but using sword skills is risky. I'll have to use oils." Kirito admitted as he pulled a vial from his pouch and brought it up to his sword. 

The vial shattered, and an icon which depicted a drop appeared at the lower left corner of his vision, where he could see the durability of his equipment. His recently repaired armored best took a hit to its durability. Having absorbed a good chunk of the bludgeon damage.

  
  


"So, be careful with the sword skills then." Asuna stated

"So it seems. Let's hope our foe won't have more surprises tucked away under his sleeves." Kizmel prayed, garnering a nod from the people around her.

Much to their surprise however, when Imlerith recovered from the staggering effect that had come to him when Heathcliff blocked him, he immediately teleported back to the center of the room. The swordsmen, that being Kirito, Heathcliff, Asuna and Kizmel surrounded the unknown foe. 

"Cowards." The juggernaut hissed in their familiar language, "You are weak. Tremble before the wild hunt."

Another surprise for the group came when white portals opened up, and hound creatures stepped out. 

Kirito himself developed a scowl, his health bar almost back to full, "Great. He can call in minions too. Tell me this is the floor boss or I'm gonna fucking loose it." 

The exasperation was shared by his girlfriend, who in turn stated with her own sour tone "Next time Kiri-boy, don't accept contracts for dungeons."

"Cut the chatter!" Asuna snapped as she foolishly used one of her famous star splash skills on a hound. A second one came from behind her with the intent to maul her head off, luckily Kizmel was right at her side. Stabbing the hound through its mouth cavity, causing the mangy beast to die right then and there.

Breathing a Sigh of relief, Asuna thanked the elvish woman, "Thank you Kizmel."

  
  


On another side of the room, Argo hid behind Kirito, waving her dagger around, "Hurry up and kill them!" 

  
  


Kirito fended off two of the beasts, ignoring his lover's flails. 'Poor choice of weapon, woman.'

Heathcliff quickly finished off the last of his bunch of hounds, and dashed towards Kirito, where he used his shield as a weapon against the nearest of the hounds relative to his position. This allowed Kirito to finally use a sword skill without worrying about the effects of the stun and being vulnerable.

Free of the hounds, Kirito allowed himself to notice a notification on the corner of his vision. Kirito quickly opened his bestiary, he noticed two new entries, "Guys, I may have gotten a clue about how to deal with the boss. I'll need someone to cover me." 

  
  


"Got'cha!" Asuna yelled as she charged The titan

Their elven companion followed behind her, as both charged spectacular sword skills that contrasted lightning green and pink hue. 

Their attack was spread out enough Asuna was quickly able to follow up Kizmel, protecting the NPC while it was on cool down.

  
  


Kirito browsed his bestiary, reading the entry into the hounds, and more importantly the strange entry in his journal.

  
  


_ The hounds are an essential part of the Wild Hunt, the riders, usually the navigator, will open up a portal calling on the white frost, and allowing the hounds to pass through. However, notable exceptions exist, such as the Generals of the Hunt… _

_ The Wild Hunt is a…. The Wild Hunt, as my friend Geralt of Rivia noted, is susceptible to a Witcher's silver sword, as they are of magical origins… _

"How convenient." The viper-eyed teen commented as he quickly switched out his blades, and shouted "Alright, I'm ready!"

As if luck would have it, the huntsman teleported in front of Kirito. Thankfully, the Witcher dodged his overhead strike. 

The club found itself stuck on the ground as the armored titan fought to pull back the weapon. But it was to no avail. Kirito, with his enhanced stats due to his status as a Witcher, and vastly superior strength to other players. Managed to kick the rider away, and quickly tried to stab him.

The boss was lucky enough to dodge most of the attack, but it connected at just the right place, and his bucket flew off. Revealing a pale elf with three red lines going across his face and unnatural cyan colored eyes.

The face reveal drew a gasp from Kizmel, who did not expect an elf to be the monster under the armor. Yet, there was still something off about the situation, as she said "I don't recognize his kind."

  
  


"And you shouldn't. But this is an elven ruin nevertheless, so it makes sense an elf would be dwelling in it." Heathcliff answered the purple haired woman, recalling what Kirito had said earlier.

Kirito dashed to engage the boss once more, relying on his silver blade alone to do damage to the boss, the boy hacked, slashed and stabbed away. And for a moment, it seemed to be working.

But Imlerith teleported away, back to his club. And picked it up effortlessly from the ground. This confused the boy as he teleported once more.

Kirito seemed to realize what was going to happen before it actually did happen, as he used a sprint towards Asuna.

Everything seemed to be going in slow motion for him as Asuna's rapier was batted aside. Imlerith was about to land a blow on her that would surely kill her.

Kirito had flashbacks about the battle at Kaer Morhen. Losing so many, killing many more. 

Asuna's eyes widened in surprise as Kirito appeared between her and the club. to her his eyes seemed glazed and filled with remorse. 

And then, her Vision was filled with shiny polygons. 

  
  


* * *

"I don't like him," Yuuki Kyouko stated harsher than she intended to.

"I think he's perfect for the job." Kouichirou stated disregarding his mother, "But I think he won't take it." 


	7. Companions and Argo

Time for Asuna crawled to a halt, as polygons filled her vision. She was momentarily lost to the world, her eyes looked beyond that which they had originally focused on as her face became pale. 

From her left, a voice yelled, "Kirito!" As Argo yelled, hoping nothing bad had happened to her boyfriend.

In the next second, the shards cleared revealing Kirito standing there just fine. A congratulations sign soon appeared overhead, making their victory against the dungeon boss, causing Asuna to fall on her butt. She let out a sigh of relief, "Nothing happened."

  
  


"Well, my armor is totaled," Kirito complained groaning, "Great. Now I have to hunt down new diagrams and materials."

"Couldn't you just buy a new armor set from the merchant?" Kizmel asked curiously, taking a seat as well next to Asuna.

The teenage boy shook his head, "Most merchants won't sell to me, besides, Witcher armors tend to have certain… effects that enhance how we fight. For example, my Wolf gear set has a modifier that allows me to do 25+ damage. Which is great considering I take a -10 cooldown on sword skills for being a witcher."

  
  


"I see," Heathcliff interrupted, as he opened up a trade window with the amber eyed boy, "Well, we promised you to make it worth your while."

  
  


Kirito's eyes opened wide realizing what Heathcliff had given him, his finger trembled as he brought it up to accept the item.

«New Moon armor set»

Armor: Light

Armor rating: 1335

Bonus:

+50 light attack damage

+25% Resistance to bludgeoning gamage

+30% resistance to slashing Damage

+20% critical hit bonus

  
  


"How did you get your hands on this?" Kirito asked Heathcliff suspectingly.

  
  


The paladin motioned his hand waving towards Asuna as he explained, "Well, there was this quest Lady Asuna and I completed for the elves quest line. It was in a chest in a dungeon we had to infiltrate."

"Huh, I thought this was only Witcher exclusive loot drops." Argo commented, quickly typing into her menu's journal the information she had just received. 

  
  


"It seems, that's not entirely true after all," the Paladin answered, turning to leave the dungeon through a doorway that had opened up to them upon defeating the boss.

  
  


Kirito shook his head and quickly equipped the new set of armor, however, as he reached the last of the armor pieces, his brows furrowed, "This… am I saying this right?" 

  
  


Argo quickly scooted over, reading the same page he was looking at, a back strap sword hit that accommodated two swords, it's only requirements was that one slot was for a silver sword and the other was for a steel sword. 

The blond girl nudged him "Well, what are you waiting for? Equip it!" 

_______________________________________

Having just witnessed the battle, the Yuuki family each held a different opinion on the subject matter that pertained to what they were about to discuss. 

The first one to speak was Kyouko Yuuki, who made her displeasure known, "I don't like him, something about him feels odd. He shouldn't be near Asuna, much less be responsible for her well being."

Her son, and Asuna's brother, Kouichirou disagreed with his mother's assessment, "I think he could be the best candidate. They know each other, are near in age group, and they can work together. But, I have my doubts if he would take the job if presented to him."

"It's decided then," Shouzou told himself with a nod of determination.

_______________________________________

  
  


"How long will you be gone?" Argo the Rat asked her boyfriend as he prepared for another long stretch of time in the wilds of Aincrad.

"When the next boss meeting is called." Kirito answered, drawing swords in and out of their scabbards casually, getting a bit of exercise in the act of remembering which sword was which, "There are a few monster spawns that have to be cleared out by us before the clearers can move in."

  
  


The explanation did not satisfy the green eyed woman, who in an annoyed tone, questioned him, "And that happens to require you simply camp out in the field all by yourself Ki-boy?" 

The amber eyed boy looked down, avoiding eye contact, "I just prefer it that way. Without having to worry about anyone else's life to constantly look over. I can hunt and grind my mobs much more comfortably than having you there."

Argo's eyes narrowed, as she crossed her arms and questioned Kirito in a dangerously low tone "So, I'm a burden now? Is that what you're saying? That you don't want me along because I'll just weigh you down?"

"No that's not…" the teen tried to reason but to no avail, as Argo walked out of the room. Slamming the door behind her, yelling "Fine!" As she did so

  
  


The young Witcher let out a sigh of frustration, somehow fighting had become much more common in their relationship after the encounter of the unknown elf, Imlerith, in the dungeon.

He followed her steps out of the room she had rented previously for both of them. Ignoring the glare the NPC patron had given as he did so, he had become accustomed to receiving such looks from players and non player characters alike regardless of where he stood, afterall, he was singled out wherever he went, be it by players, or by the game engine itself.

He casually approached the quest board and picked out a contract for a next of necrophages near one of the planes. It wasn't going to be a difficult one, yet would give out much needed XP to finally gain that level up he sought after.

  
  


Approaching said nest, the monster quickly rushed towards him, sickly pale of color, and dangerously tricky to kill to a casual observer. Yet all he had to do was kite them around the field and get their health down three fourths of the way, and they would explode doing significant indiscriminate damage to whatever was nearby, be it human or monster with the shrapnel from their exploding bodies.

After an hour of kiting and grinding the monster nest, he finally decided to destroy it, knowing no more monsters would spawn from here, having leveled as he had desired.

As he walked away from the burnt nest, a window popped up in his vision.

_ Sender: Asuna _

_ Can we meet? I need to talk to you face to face ASAP… _

_______________________________________ 

Through the whole boss meeting, Kirito could feel the heated glares of two of the ladies present. He had taken to ignoring both his girlfriend and Asuna messages. 

After he had admitted he felt Argo was dead weight to him he had put into consideration what his thoughts towards his girlfriend were, was she even truly his girlfriend? Did he have feelings for her?

He did like her in a romantic way, but it wasn't something one could really call love. She relieved him of some of the loneliness he felt in the game, but he certainly started missing the loneliness once she stuck by his side. 

It wasn't love, it was purely a companionship he had fallen into out of practicality. Taking advantage of the willing rat one would say, something he didn't particularly feel guilty about. As the boss meeting came to an end, even though he didn't particularly pay much attention to what was discussed besides the basic information, he quickly chose to withdraw towards the nearest exit. 

  
  


Just when he thought he had made it to safety, Kirito was met face to face with Asuna, who firmly regarded him with a neutral expression, "I have something to talk with you about."

"What for?" The amber eyed teen asked her with narrowed eyes.

"You'll see, come."

___

___

  
  


Upon closing the door to Asuna's hotel room, Kirito asked, "So what's this about?" 

"Are you aware how we are able to contact people from the outside now?" The chestnut haired girl asked, a twinge of hope in her voice.

Most unfortunate for her, he crossed his arms and responded with, "Yeah, what about it?"

Asuna took a deep breath, she was deeply uncomfortable asking this of someone who was basically a stranger to her despite how she trusted him, "Well, see, my father is the CEO of the company maintaining the SAO servers. And he wants to make sure I make it out this game alive, therefore he wants to hire you as my personal bodyguard." 

She studied how his slitted eyes narrowed further and his expression hardened as he seemed to consider the offer she had presented to him. As he read the menu his face slackened "I'm sorry Asuna, but I can't take this job. I'm not a Hired blade, and I really don't feel comfortable around people. Even though my relationship with Argo is deteriorating, I can't in good conscience take this up when I don't want to be responsible for someone else's life." 

Asuna nodded, giving him a sympathetic look, "It's okay, I had hoped you would turn this down. I don't want someone to babysit me in this trap, I want to fight along everyone else for our freedom. I can't do that if I have someone constantly hovering over my shoulders just so I don't get hurt or worse, die. Plus, I don't want to be a burden on your shoulders." 

Kirito's shoulders sagged in relief, "Thank you Asuna." 

She gave him a gentle smile and opened the door, as the dark swordswoman left her room she couldn't help but feel a giddiness build up at the pit of her stomach as she closed the door behind her.

_______________________________________


End file.
